A bill currently making its way through the Welsh Assembly, which removes the right to hit a child, has reached the third stage of its journey.
Stage 3 involves a detailed look at the legislation, by every member of the Assembly in Plenary, as well as proposed amendments to the law. Members have five working days before the meeting takes place to table any amendments they would like to add.
The Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill abolishes the common law defence of reasonable punishment (chastisement), which means that once ratified, parents or those acting in loco parentis will no longer be able to use this as a defence upon being charged with the assault or battery of a child.
The Bill’s page on the National Assembly of Wales’ website outlines the law’s purpose and background:
“The Bill is intended to support children’s rights by prohibiting the use of physical punishment, through removal of this defence. The intended effect of the Bill, together with an awareness-raising campaign and support for parents, is to bring about a further reduction in the use and tolerance of the physical punishment of children in Wales.”
Britain is now the only country in the UK which has failed to consider legislation banning the smacking of children in a home setting.
Ireland was the first state to ratify legislation banning smacking (a term we would like to see abolished too, because it downplays child assault and battery), which it did in 2015.
Scotland has promised to incorporate similar legislation, and held its own Stage 3 meeting on October 3, in which the Scottish Parliament looked at tabled amendments to its Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill. The meeting is very much worth a watch for the insightful comments around the Bill’s shortcomings as it stands in draft form.
Currently, 58 countries around the world have placed a total ban on corporal punishment in the home.
British politicians have routinely ignored calls by charities and groups like Researching Reform to make all forms of child assault illegal, with several ministers seemingly in favour of the practice. Both David Lammy MP and former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling have openly admitted to hitting their children and standing by corporal punishment as an effective way of raising children.
But established research contradicts that view.
The Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill is scheduled to have its Stage 3 meeting on Tuesday 21 January 2020 and can be watched on Senedd TV.
Many thanks to Professor Joan Durrant for sharing this development.
Researching Reform 
While I agree that children should not be beaten or even smacked others think differently and I suspect their punishment will (thanks to over zealous social workers)be out of all proportion to their crimes .
A smack on the butt with the flat of the hand as opposed to a hard punch in the face with a clenched fist .I suspect either action will have the same result “fostering or adoption”
There was a case a few years ago when a mother slapped her 9 year old hard on the leg for misbehaving in a supermarket and was spotted by an off duty policeman ;The girl was taken away and as far as I can ascertain never saw her mother again.
CONCLUSION is that this measure will be misused by social workers and family courts to separate children from their families when there is no need to do so.
Sad but inevitable………….
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I agree Ian, this will be another reason social workers will use to to beat parents over the head with.
There should be re education first.
On the subject of reasons social workers like to cite at court, one is the state of the home. Whilst watching Hoarders on tv, where people don’t just have a problem with parting with things they own, I remembered something told to me by a TV engineer. He said about 5% of homes he had to go in were filthy to the point where the soles of his shoes stuck to the floor as he squelched he way across the floor & grime covered everything. These people were from all walks of life. It’s far too easy for social workers.
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Also established research states children taken into care do better when they have contact with their parents so why do social workers stop contact? I have just been on Facebook where mothers are posting this is happening to them despite them being no threat to their children. Frankly how mothers are treated is shockingly inhuman. As if losing their children isn’t enough!
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and many parents are being censored on facebook where photos of their children are being removed without even asking any questions re the ownership of such photos. it would seem the SS even have their clutches into facebook.
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